Watch: Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant drag Kuldeep Yadav by his collar, risking him injury

In a delightful display of camaraderie, the Indian cricket team’s close-knit bond was evident moments before the opening Test of the two-match Test series against Bangladesh in Chennai.

Kuldeep Yadav was seen in high spirits moments before missing out on the playing XI for the Chennai Test, thanks to a playful prank by his teammates.

Just before the toss in Chennai, as Kuldeep Yadav was stretching, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant decided to have some fun with the star wrist spinner.

Virat Kohli playfully dragged Kuldeep Yadav towards the boundary ropes, while Rishabh Pant joined in by lifting the Chinaman bowler’s legs, ensuring he couldn’t escape Virat Kohli's antics.

Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant’s playful antics with Kuldeep Yadav go viral

The trio burst into laughter as Kohli finally let go, and Kuldeep Yadav gave him a friendly high five. The lighthearted moment, captured on video, has quickly gone viral on social media, highlighting the strong bond and lovely camaraderie between the Indian players. Fans are loving the glimpse of the Indian players’ bromance.

Everyone returned to practice after sharing a laugh, but Virat Kohli wasn’t quite finished with the fun. As he resumed his football drills, assistant coach Morne Morkel gave him a light tap on the shoulder, prompting Virat Kohli to break into a dance, keeping the lighthearted mood alive in the Indian camp.

Watch here for Team India's strong bond:

WTF 🤣🤣🤣 KOHLI and Pant #CricketTwitter #ViratKohli𓃵#RishabhPantpic.twitter.com/HdqMTU7lTI

— Riseup Pant (@riseup_pant17) September 19, 2024

Meanwhile, India found themselves in serious trouble early in the opening Test, as they were reduced to 34 for three within the first hour of play against Bangladesh in Chennai. The hosts have lost key wickets, with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli all dismissed cheaply.

Virat Kohli failed to shine in his comeback Test on home soil

Bangladesh's Mahmud Hasan has been the standout bowler, taking all three wickets so far, putting India under immense pressure in the Chennai Test. On the other hand, Kohli's return to Test cricket on home soil didn't go as planned, as he was dismissed for just 6 runs on Day 1 of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai.

Playing his first Test in India since March 2023, Kohli was warmly welcomed by the crowd at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Thursday. However, the former Indian captain’s innings were cut short when he played a loose shot outside off-stump, giving the Bangladesh pacer Mahmud his third wicket in the ongoing Chennai Test.

Virat Kohli's edge carried to wicketkeeper Litton Das, who made a clean catch to send India’s batting superstar back to the pavilion to further put pressure on the hosts in the first Test.

I love challenges: Kohli

Recently, the dashing right-hander shared his excitement about Test cricket, sharing his strategic approach as a young captain when MS Dhoni handed him India’s captaincy in the format.

Virat Kohli said in a video posted by the BCCI on social media: “The thing that excited me about Test cricket and when I was coming up as captain was the challenge. We were transitioning when you guys had made way for a youngster team and Mahi Bhai left Test captaincy. I was 25, so for me it was like, 'I am here with a bunch of 24- to 25-year-old guys. How do we become household names?' We sat down and thought, 'I really need to plan this out. This can't happen by chance.”